It is to be hoped that the argument at Western International does not overshadow the progress being made towards giving tenants a home worthy of the products they are trading in.

As Hounslow Council says on page one, the wranglings are entirely predictable. Wouldn't you get the hump if your landlord told you you no longer had the right to run your business from your existing premises?

The painstaking decision-making process and its criteria have been reported in the Journal at length. It has also been communicated to tenants at Western International, some of whom have paid attention and some who have not.

Unfortunately, the emotive race issue has been raised. Although official statements do not play the race card, it is being touted around the market and local community as a reason for the exclusion of certain companies.

Again, this is no surprise. But it is extremely unfair to level such accusations at a Council that does so much to smooth race relations, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that this particular issue could have no racial implications.

The campaign group are asking for a fair deal. The fact they were excluded suggests that the companies involved were not meeting the requirements of a forward-thinking market with a level playing field.

Hopefully, this situation can be resolved amicably and without recourse to legal action. Then Western International can focus on its long-term goals.